Community foundation in top tier

The Charlevoix County Community Foundation recently received notification that it has met the nation's highest philanthropic standards for operational quality, integrity and accountability.

The notice comes from the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a national accreditation organization based in Arlington, Va.

"This is similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal for community foundations," said Diane Miller, manager, Community Foundations National Standards board. "It says that the Charlevoix County Community Foundation has demonstrated a commitment to operational quality, integrity and accountability."

The U.S. Community Foundations' program requires foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With more than 200 foundations already compliant nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.

"This is critically important to our donors," said Chip Hansen, president of the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. "When people make a charitable bequest, establish a fund or contribute to an existing fund, they're placing their trust in us. They're counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable intentions. The National Standards confirmation says our house is in order."

The Charlevoix County Community Foundation offers a broad range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance causes such as education or the environment, support an individual organization, provide flexible assistance for community needs or recommend individual grants. The confirmation also validates the Foundation's grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.

"That's important too," said Jeff Rogers, chairman of the Community Foundation's board of trustees. "Grantmaking is a lot like investing ... we assess risk, weigh potential gains, monitor performance and operate in a fair and impartial manner. When you see the National Standards Seal, you can be assured that we're committed to meeting the highest standards for grantmaking as well."